ROSE CARMEL LYONS,
Sir, - I am writing to correct some of the gross inaccuracies in the articles (August 12th) on waste issues. It is evident that we have a waste crisis and, as with any crisis, the adopted approach is reactionary. This is followed by a "grasp at straws" solution, which unfortunately for the country is in the guise of incineration. The Minister for the Environment, Mr Cullen, and his predecessor, Mr Dempsey, have behaved in such a manner, combined with a callous disregard for democracy, public consultation and participation and to the health and welfare of the citizens of this country.
Mr Aherne, general manager of Indaver, has stated that under EU law, toxic waste should be treated close to where it is produced under the "proximity principle". What he conveniently neglected to mention, is that Indaver's Flemish plant imports 10 per cent of their toxic waste from other European countries; so much for the "proximity principle"!
If Indaver in Flanders, situated in the industrial heartland of Europe, needs to import waste, then it is a certainty that Indaver in Cork, will eventually also import toxic waste, due in part to its port location, to maintain commercial viability.
Your article also mentioned that Indaver's proposed hazardous waste facility in Cork has received "less hostility". This is misinformation, as 18,000 planning objections were lodged with Cork County Council against Indaver's application.
Another example of misinformation is Mr Aherne's assertion that incinerators account for one per cent of dioxin emissions in Europe. A glance at the European Dioxin Inventory reveals that Belgium's incineration industry contributed some 66 per cent of dioxin, France 37 per cent and Denmark 60 per cent, to give just a few examples.
Industrial activity is the principle contributor to dioxin emissions - Ireland, at present, has the lowest level of dioxin emissions in Europe. Whilst domestic home heating and vehicular traffic do contribute some dioxin emissions, the amount is negligible since the introduction of unleaded petrol, catalytic converters and clean domestic fuel, like oil and gas.
Incineration is an unsustainable means of waste management as it conflicts with international global agreements like Kyote and the POP's treaties, a point worth noting, particularly, in view of recent climate changes and the current Earth Summit in Johannesburg.
Finally, Mr Cullen would be well advised to "incinerate" the current waste management policies, instead of the planning laws - it is time to make a stand against the bully-boy tactics of our elected politicians. - Yours, etc.,
ROSE CARMEL LYONS,
Carrigaline,
Co Cork
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Sir, - With regard to the Minister for the Environment's article on waste (August 14th), I note he makes only the briefest of references to waste prevention and reuse. Five of the seven bullet points of action refer to recycling and composting and the last two to the bottom end of the waste hierarchy. I would like to know exactly and precisely, and in what timescale, what the Minister proposes to do to promote prevention and reuse. I know that there is a Core Prevention Team planned for the EPA to implement a National Waste Prevention Programme. When is this and other inititiatives actually going to happen? It took over ten years for the plastic bag levy to be implemented.
All I see in industry is an increase in packaging. We have shrink-wrapped bottles of soft drinks. Trebor Bassett and Nestlé now sell their sweets in difficult-to-recycle plastic tubes instead of paper and cardboard. HB soft cones come in solid plastic containers or with a plastic cap. The list goes on.
Paul Cassidy (Letters, August 14th) rightly points out that consumers can try to choose products with less or more easily recycled packaging but the choices are being reduced all the time. Where was the Government when it should have been stepping in with a public/private partnership to save Irish Glass? Ditto for the glass milk bottle? The only genuine refill system provided directly to the consumer that I know of in the whole of Dublin is washing-up liquid refills provided by the Dublin Food Co-op. The clothes washing liquid refills provided in supermarkets are not proper refills because they do not eliminate the need for another disposable container.
Reduce, reuse: not much done, a whole lot more to be done. - Yours, etc.,
JENNIFER WANN,
Stoneybatter.
Dublin 7